Bone spurs, orosteophytes, are bony projections that form along the joints and are often seen in conditions such as arthritis. Enthesophytes form in the tendon or ligament. Bone spurs can cause pain and are largely responsible for limitations in joint motion.
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Causes
Bone spurs can form as the body responds to an abnormality around a joint. The most common cause isosteoarthritis, a degenerative disease in which the normal cartilage surrounding a joint is gradually worn away.
As the protective cartilage is depleted and bone becomes increasingly exposed, the body responds with inflammation and changes to the structures around the joints. Ligaments thicken and deposits of calcium create new bone growth—what is known as a bone spur.
The formation of spurs can be thought of as the body’s effort to increase the surface area of an exposed joint—a protective measure to better distribute any impact or force that may be applied to that joint. Unfortunately, it tends to have the opposite effect, restricting joint mobility while constricting nerves and other tissues servicing that joint.
Bone spurs are also common in a non-inflammatory disease called diffuse idiopathy skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). While the cause of DISH is unknown, as many as 80% of people diagnosed with the disease will experience pain and stiffness as a result of the formation of spurs along the spine.
Bone Spur Symptoms
The formation of osteophytes on the joints of the fingers (calledHeberden’s nodesandBouchard’s nodes) not only cause the typical swelling we associate with arthritis but seriously limit the dexterity of hands and fingers. Pain most often occurs during the earlier stages of arthritis (generally around middle age) and tends to subside at a later age.
Causes and Treatment of Bone Spurs in the Knee
Treatment
Although bone spurs themselves are not problematic, they are indicative of an underlying problem that may need treatment. Changes in bone growth are often documented to help monitor and manage the severity of degenerative diseases such as arthritis. If there is a pain, anon-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)like ibuprofen may be prescribed.
In circumstances in which a bone spur seriously impacts a person’s ability to function, it may be removed. However, the majority of these spurs will return unless the underlying problem is somehow resolved. In cases of osteoarthritis, this may not be possible.
Sometimes bone spurs around the fingers or toes (such as happens withhallux rigidusof the big toe) can be removed to improve motion and reduce pain. Often when people have arthroscopic shoulder surgery, such as with a rotator cuff repair, they will have a bone spur removed from around the rotator cuff, in a procedure known as a subacromial decompression.
A Word From Verywell
Bone spurs can be a sign of damage or degenerative change within a joint. Bone spurs could also be a source of pain and deformity around the joint.
That said, the management of a bone spur requires management of the underlying condition. Simply removing a bone spur is often a short-term solution. There are specific situations where your surgeon may remove a bone spur, but it is likely that over time the condition will return.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Finzel S, Sahinbegovic E, Kocijan R, et al.Inflammatory bone spur formation in psoriatic arthritis is different from bone spur formation in hand osteoarthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(11):2968-75. doi:10.1002/art.38794Mader R, Verlaan JJ, Eshed I, et al.Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH): where we are now and where to go next.RMD Open.2017;3:rmdopen-2017-000472corr1. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000472corr1Wong SH, Chiu KY, Yan CH.Review article: Osteophytes.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2016;24(3):403-410. doi:10.1177/1602400327Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, et al.Impingement syndrome of the shoulder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(45):765-776. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765Cleveland Clinic.Is there any help for hard, painful bumps on your fingers from osteoarthritis?Updated April 2019.Goel A.Is it necessary to resect osteophytes in degenerative spondylotic myelopathy?.J Craniovertebr Junction Spine. 2013;4(1):1-2. doi:10.4103/0974-8237.121615Patel J, Swords M.Hallux rigidus. StatPearls. Updated September 20, 2020.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Finzel S, Sahinbegovic E, Kocijan R, et al.Inflammatory bone spur formation in psoriatic arthritis is different from bone spur formation in hand osteoarthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(11):2968-75. doi:10.1002/art.38794Mader R, Verlaan JJ, Eshed I, et al.Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH): where we are now and where to go next.RMD Open.2017;3:rmdopen-2017-000472corr1. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000472corr1Wong SH, Chiu KY, Yan CH.Review article: Osteophytes.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2016;24(3):403-410. doi:10.1177/1602400327Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, et al.Impingement syndrome of the shoulder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(45):765-776. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765Cleveland Clinic.Is there any help for hard, painful bumps on your fingers from osteoarthritis?Updated April 2019.Goel A.Is it necessary to resect osteophytes in degenerative spondylotic myelopathy?.J Craniovertebr Junction Spine. 2013;4(1):1-2. doi:10.4103/0974-8237.121615Patel J, Swords M.Hallux rigidus. StatPearls. Updated September 20, 2020.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Finzel S, Sahinbegovic E, Kocijan R, et al.Inflammatory bone spur formation in psoriatic arthritis is different from bone spur formation in hand osteoarthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(11):2968-75. doi:10.1002/art.38794Mader R, Verlaan JJ, Eshed I, et al.Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH): where we are now and where to go next.RMD Open.2017;3:rmdopen-2017-000472corr1. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000472corr1Wong SH, Chiu KY, Yan CH.Review article: Osteophytes.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2016;24(3):403-410. doi:10.1177/1602400327Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, et al.Impingement syndrome of the shoulder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(45):765-776. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765Cleveland Clinic.Is there any help for hard, painful bumps on your fingers from osteoarthritis?Updated April 2019.Goel A.Is it necessary to resect osteophytes in degenerative spondylotic myelopathy?.J Craniovertebr Junction Spine. 2013;4(1):1-2. doi:10.4103/0974-8237.121615Patel J, Swords M.Hallux rigidus. StatPearls. Updated September 20, 2020.
Finzel S, Sahinbegovic E, Kocijan R, et al.Inflammatory bone spur formation in psoriatic arthritis is different from bone spur formation in hand osteoarthritis.Arthritis Rheumatol. 2014;66(11):2968-75. doi:10.1002/art.38794
Mader R, Verlaan JJ, Eshed I, et al.Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH): where we are now and where to go next.RMD Open.2017;3:rmdopen-2017-000472corr1. doi:10.1136/rmdopen-2017-000472corr1
Wong SH, Chiu KY, Yan CH.Review article: Osteophytes.J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong). 2016;24(3):403-410. doi:10.1177/1602400327
Garving C, Jakob S, Bauer I, et al.Impingement syndrome of the shoulder.Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2017;114(45):765-776. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2017.0765
Cleveland Clinic.Is there any help for hard, painful bumps on your fingers from osteoarthritis?Updated April 2019.
Goel A.Is it necessary to resect osteophytes in degenerative spondylotic myelopathy?.J Craniovertebr Junction Spine. 2013;4(1):1-2. doi:10.4103/0974-8237.121615
Patel J, Swords M.Hallux rigidus. StatPearls. Updated September 20, 2020.
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